10/2/18: No disrespect intended, Mr. President

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that right now: our country is divided. And I understand because the issues facing our country this week have lifelong impact and we have a lot at stake right now.

The result is that we as Americans have become so intolerant of opposing views that we are losing sight of the big things and bickering over the small ones.

This week, we've received several emails asking us to show respect to the President. People get upset when the President of the United States is referred to as "Mister."

Some seem to interpret the title as a sign of disrespect. I'm here to tell you that we respect the office and the person holding it.

According to the Associated Press, it is proper to refer to the president as President Donald Trump on first reference and as simply "Trump" on any subsequent reference.

Here at Heartland News and at many other news outlets across the country, the American president and his predecessors are referred to as "Mister" as a sign of respect.

In the first reference of a story, our president will be referred to as President Donald Trump (or whoever is in office at the time of the report).

On second reference, it is Mr. Trump, Mr. President, or the president. This is a way to show respect while cutting down on repetition in the body of a news story.

It's also worth noting, the White House references the president as Mr. Trump. And the reference “Mr. President...” that has been traced back to the 1790s.

Understanding that Heartland News Journalists are respectful Americans and keeping an eye on the bigger things in front of us right now makes this a Better Heartland.

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